Spectroscopic Evidence for Redox Isomerism in the 1,4-Diethynylbenzene-Bridged Heterobimetallic Cation [{Fe(dppe)Cp*}(μ-CCC6H4CC){Mo(dppe)(η-C7H7)}]PF6

Reaction of [FeCl(dppe)Cp*] with [Mo(CCC6H4-4-CCH)(dppe)(η-C7H7)], 1, and NaBPh4 in methanol gives the alkynylvinylidene complex [{Fe(dppe)Cp*}{μ-CCC6H4(H)CC}{Mo(dppe)(η-C7H7)}]BPh4, [2A]BPh4, which is deprotonated to form the heterobimetallic, 1,4-diethynylbenzene-bridged complex [{Fe(dppe)Cp*}(μ-CCC6H4CC){Mo(dppe)(η-C7H7)}], 3. The alkynylvinylidene compound [2A]BPh4 exists as the major component of an equilibrium mixture with [Fe(dppe)Cp*}{μ-CC(H)C6H4CC}{Mo(dppe)(η-C7H7)}]BPh4, [2B]BPh4, and is formed as a consequence of proton migration between the Cβ carbons of the vinylidene and alkynyl ends of the bridging ligand. Cyclic voltammetric investigations reveal that 3 undergoes two reversible one-electron oxidations to cationic [3]+ and [3]2+, which have been isolated as the [PF6]− salts after chemical oxidation. Computational (DFT) studies on [3]n+ indicate that while the HOMO of neutral 3 is rather heavily localized on the Mo center, in [3]+ the frontier orbitals are more evenly distributed over both metals, with the concentration of spin density being sensitive to the relative disposition of the metal end-cap fragments about the diethynylbenzene ligand. Experimental investigations on [3]PF6 by IR and EPR spectroscopy provide evidence for the coexistence of redox isomers [3A]+ and [3B]+, in which spin density is localized at the molybdenum or iron center, respectively. The solution IR spectrum of [3]PF6 exhibits an unusual four-band pattern in the ν(CC) region, consistent with the observation of two isomeric forms of [3]PF6, which are “valence trapped” on the short time scale of IR spectroscopy. In the frozen solution EPR spectrum, at 120 K, the spectroscopic signatures of both paramagnetic end-caps Mo(dppe)(η-C7H7) and Fe(dppe)Cp* are observed. The properties of [3]n+ are discussed with reference to the parent homobimetallics [{MLx}2(μ-CCC6H4CC)]n+ [MLx = Fe(dppe)Cp*, [4]n+, and Mo(dppe)(η-C7H7), [5]n+, n = 0, 1, 2].